Page 157 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 137

of education because of lack of computing Every student registering with the OUSL is
resources. In addition, the university also has allocated two centres: one named as the
two dedicated video channels, Open U-Tube Administrative Centre, which is the centre
and OpenCast, which have a wide repository situated in the district where student resides,
of video resources for augmenting student and the other the Academic Centre, which
learning. is the centre where the particular program
is offered. The reason for this is that not all
The university does not follow a synchronized programs are offered in every centre due
academic year and the various faculties enrol to dearth of facilities and minimum student
students to their programs at different times numbers. Once the student registers for the
of the year. In this way the university is able program, he or she would be provided with
to optimize it resources, both physical and an academic schedule which also includes
human. A hallmark of a quality ODL program sessions where the students will be provided
is the flexibility given in time, in location, opportunities to interact with the academic
and the choice of courses to the learner in staff through “day schools” and other similar
completing a study program with adequate activities. Most programs of the university
learner support. Moreover, OUSL recognizes employ visiting academics to facilitate this
relevant prior qualifications of students so process.
that they will get exemptions from certain
courses in a program, thus allowing lateral Over the last few years, even prior to the
entry to a program of study. The OUSL with Covid-19 pandemic, the University has
flexible learning options is considered as an switched the mode of delivery of the days
ideal learning environment for students who schools to electronic format by using the
are employed or otherwise busy owing to Big-Blue-Button software, whereby students
family commitments. are virtually connected to the academic
who will be conducting a physical class in
The programs of the University are one of the centres. This video conferencing
advertised in the national newspapers and facility which connects all the OUSL Regional
the website of the university. From the year Centres and some of the Study Centres, has
2016, applications are entertained only via enabled the OUSL to decentralize academic
online. The registration process is completely program delivery effectively and efficiently.
decentralized and is handled by the Regional This enabled the university to respond and
Educational Services (RES). The university adopt to the Covid-19 situation in a swift
is currently in the process of upgrading its manner. The university has now planned to
Management Information System (MIS) expand the virtual delivery infrastructure
with facilities for self-registration. The further with multiple platforms and covering
university hopes that, in the near future, all the entire country.
students of will be able to register for their
programs online without physically visiting
the university.

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL)